Today, JB Pritzker failed to answer issue-based questions from the Crain’s Chicago Business editorial board. Instead, he said lie after lie to deflect from the downward spiral of his campaign.

It’s too bad that we already have to call out Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump for their lies, but if we have to do it for JB Pritzker, so be it.

Allow us to fact check:

JB: “I think I was the first candidate to talk about this in the race - legalizing marijuana in the state. I know that’s a point of difference between me and Chris Kennedy.”

Truth: Chris Kennedy supports legalizing marijuana. In fact, reinforced that point yesterday on WBEZ’s “Morning Shift.” The difference isn’t around “legalizing marijuana,” as JB said. The difference is that Chris doesn’t think lobbyists should lead this effort. He thinks third party experts at a research university like the University of Illinois should recommend the legislative package. So, what’s the difference? JB thinks lobbyists should determine how we legalize?

JB [when trying to explain away his relationship with House Speaker Mike Madigan]: “Chris Kennedy, who, you know, decided he wanted to run for Congress, for a little while. He chased Mike Madigan around–asked for his support. Decided he wanted to run for Senate. Chased him around, asked him for his support. And as we all saw, I think in 2016, he did the same thing, asking Mike Madigan for his support to run for Governor.”

Truth: Unlike JB Pritzker who has a history of running for office and asking Rod Blagojevich for political appointments, Chris Kennedy never “decided to run” for any office besides the one he’s running for right now.

JB: Multiple times throughout the interview, JB said he’s the “only” candidate to put out a jobs/business plan.

Truth: Chris Kennedy released an 23-page jobs and economy plan that can be found here. Crain’s even wrote about it here.

JB seems to have a problem with the truth over and over again. Seems the only time we catch him speaking the truth is through a secret wire tap … and those are truths he apologizes for not being his best.

“Chris further believes that the issue of legalizing marijuana should be separated from the issue of using taxes as a revenue stream to fund state government. He does not believe that the economic chaos that Governor Rauner has imposed on the state should be the driving factor factor that leads us to new forms of revenue without understanding the impact of such decisions.”

Again, more hedging. He’s saying that there are reasons not to legalize it and because some people say it could help bring in revenue that’s not a good one.

“If the medical and scientific evidence supports the legalization of marijuana, then Illinois should legalize marijuana, whether it is helpful to the state budget or not.”

What really does “medical and scientific evidence” mean? Would it support legalizing alcohol or smoking? No. So, really his position is that, other than medical, he’s again legalizing marijuana.

Cowardice doesn’t look good on anyone. It’s really unfortunate on a Kennedy.

As Pritzker is on what NBC5 Chicago and now the Trubuje call an “Apology Tour”, your concern about Kennedy should probably be focused on Pritzker righting the ship and looking less now than what Kennedy did it didn’t do.

You’re parsing. As Arsenal said above, “Oh, please, Kennedy has flirted with every major office open since 2010. Campaigns start well before the D1s are filed.” That was exactly the point he was making so the fact check was nonsensical.

==As Pritzker is on what NBC5 Chicago and now the Trubuje call an “Apology Tour”, your concern about Kennedy should probably be focused on Pritzker righting the ship and looking less now than what Kennedy did it didn’t do.==

Eh, setting aside that it doesn’t really matter what a bunch of us on a message board do, you don’t right the ship by letting the other campaigns dunk on you. Chris Kennedy didn’t support legalization before today. He’d sought Madigan’s support before. Those are the facts, and that doesn’t change just ’cause JB’s in trouble.

===you don’t right the ship by letting the other campaigns dunk on you. Chris Kennedy didn’t support legalization before today. He’d sought Madigan’s support before. Those are the facts, and that doesn’t change just ’cause JB’s in trouble.===

The Pritzker Campaign seemingly isn’t interested in going after, with real gusto or financial powers, anyone. That’s what I commented as I did. If they feel protecting Pritzker for nickel and dime things instead of a real oppo strategy, that’s their call I guess.

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